Head light restoral

I have tried 3M and Diamondite head light restoral treatment on my vehicle with the results ending up with them very clean on the out side and I know that is what those products are designed to do but my headlights seem to have a film of grime on the inside of them . I was wonderng is there an way to clean the inside ?

Originally Posted by NSBMW04

I have tried 3M and Diamondite head light restoral treatment on my vehicle with the results ending up with them very clean on the out side and I know that is what those products are designed to do but my headlights seem to have a film of grime on the inside of them . I was wonderng is there an way to clean the inside ?

I think the only way to clean the inside is to open them up which is virtually impossible on the E60. If it's really bad it may be time (unfortunately) for new headlights. I wouldn't do that if you just 3M'ed the outside though.

That picture looks like a Camaro that was modified to look like a BMW...
by the way.

I had great results by using the $10 kit from Harbor Freight, simple sandpaper pad that attaches to a drill, some elbow grease and then the polishing compound and my headlights looked new for over a year (until a carsh meant new headlights were in order anyway)

That picture was of a Camero but I placed a picture of the front of my vehicle to show the headlights after the treatments.

Boramkiv is right, the only way to clean the inside is to open the headlights, but they are VERY difficult to close up again afterward. You will most likely end up with moisture inside the headlights and short circuits later on as the moisture corrodes things.

Originally Posted by NSBMW04

That picture was of a Camero but I placed a picture of the front of my vehicle to show the headlights after the treatments.

I have an 04 and cleaned mine up again this past weekend. I wet sanded with 2000 grit, then I polished with rubbing compound (Turtle Wax brand) then I buffed with plasti clear plastic polish. Turned out quite nice.

You say you have something on the inside though. I would remove each head light, remove all the electronics from the lamps and try washing out, then let dry real good and re-assemble.

You must have a bad seal or a missing bulb cap at the rear for stuff to get inside???

I had mine done at the BMW dealership. Very pricey ($200) but I wanted to be able to hold them accountable if it didn't work. Complete night and day difference. They look almost new now.

Originally Posted by NSBMW04

I have tried 3M and Diamondite head light restoral treatment on my vehicle with the results ending up with them very clean on the out side and I know that is what those products are designed to do but my headlights seem to have a film of grime on the inside of them . I was wonderng is there an way to clean the inside ?

you either lives close to the ocean (area like Florida) or have a broken moisture barrier on the headlamps, the latter is unlikely if happens on both headlamps. I am talking about a rubber flapper that allows moisture to escape but not in.

You can always buf the outside, that usually improve the condition of the headlamps. I don;t have guts to open it, I heard older headlamps like prior to 2004 can be baked and opened. but my concern is how are you going to regulate the temp(even if you know the exact temp to soften the seal/glue) in home oven, it can be off as much as 10% then cycle up-down, too risky.

How about just remove the headlamp, use micro-fiber sprayed with glass cleaner around a tongue and buff it slowly, insert the tongue through the H7/DS1 xenon bulb opening.

have you guys tried cleaning the headlight cover with plain toothpaste? i have just viewed 2 vieos on you tube showing how to do it and it looked real easy and with good result. i will try it oon my '004 530i today.

Originally Posted by osbimmerfest

have you guys tried cleaning the headlight cover with plain toothpaste? i have just viewed 2 vieos on you tube showing how to do it and it looked real easy and with good result. i will try it oon my '004 530i today.

Never tried toothpaste, but I guess it would leave the headlights "minty fresh" and prevent gingivitis.

Originally Posted by NSBMW04

That picture was of a Camero but I placed a picture of the front of my vehicle to show the headlights after the treatments.

This pic just looks like you didnt sand the lends down enough to get all of it out. I had mine done by a shop and they used power tools to do the job and my headlights came out brand new. I tried the Turtle wax restore kit on my fog lights and it only took off a little, it looks better but the power tool way works best.

When i was in Jr high school ( back in 1973 }we used to make projects out of plexy glass,, we used 1500 wet sand paper and then 2000 wet sand paper on the cut edges and it comes out lookin like glass after polishing ..

What Hogie said will work,,, and look like new...

This worked for me and it's soooooo cheap: http://www.harborfreight.com/12-minu...kit-65938.html

Just a FYI..

The first time that I cleaned was about 3 years ago and I just taped round the lamps and buffed in place. This past weekend I actually took the head lamps out when I cleaned. For my 04 e60 it was very easy to take out. Just two torque screws on top and then just loosen two torque screws at bottom of lamp's backside.

I also had to change a burned out angel lamp.

Originally Posted by osbimmerfest

have you guys tried cleaning the headlight cover with plain toothpaste? i have just viewed 2 vieos on you tube showing how to do it and it looked real easy and with good result. i will try it oon my '004 530i today.

I have tried the toothpaste and it really does work. It also works for removing scratches on glasses, which even the eye doctor said they couldn't fix. I showed them after I did it and they were really surppised it was complety gone.

Don't think it matters, but I used AIM. lol After the toothpaste I used Plastix X cleaner/polish. They still look good after a year.

Originally Posted by jjp735i

I have tried the toothpaste and it really does work. It also works for removing scratches on glasses, which even the eye doctor said they couldn't fix. I showed them after I did it and they were really surppised it was complety gone.

Don't think it matters, but I used AIM. lol After the toothpaste I used Plastix X cleaner/polish. They still look good after a year.

I used Crest with flouride on mine, and in the two years since I did it, my headlights have not had one cavity. However, I have had a tough time geting the headlights to gargle.

Novus Plastic Polish. Works extremely well, follow the direction's carefully with this product for outstanding results. I used this stuff on my 08 528 on headlights and interior wood trim.



www.novuspolish.com/

What about tooth decay? Anything on tooth decay? That can be very serious!